White's legal woes drag on

Julian White finally began training with Bristol yesterday after a summer of litigation - only to be threatened with further legal action over rugby's most troubled transfer.

After his expensive but fruitless bid to free himself for a career elsewhere in the English Premiership, the England prop is now squaring up to his former agent Mike Burton over another aspect of the move from Saracens.

Burton, an English Lion during the Seventies, is suing White for £28,000 he claims he earned in commission when the player finalised a contract 16 months ago. 'I did the deal and he hasn't paid me,' said Burton.

Meanwhile, Bristol, having gone to inordinate lengths to bury the hatchet with one of the most wanted players in the English game, yesterday dismissed any question that the rest of the squad would be less than thrilled at welcoming a player who did his best to avoid joining them. Head coach Dean Ryan said: 'We've just finished a cracking session and everyone has made Julian very welcome. It's great to have him on board.'

The saga began in March last year when Saracens accused Bristol of an illegal approach to White, whose contract with the Watford club still had more than a season to run. Chief executive Francois Pienaar reinforced his club's stance by reporting that Bob Dwyer, then Bristol's coach, had mistakenly left a message for White on Pienaar's mobile phone after dialling the wrong number.

It transpired that by May of last year Bristol had signed White on a three-year deal to take effect from July the following year once his Saracens contract had expired. Bristol made the player an advance payment of £15,000 - which he later repaid to the club as part of his attempt to get out of the deal.

Bath joined the bidding and Bristol responded by offering to increase White's salary from £80,000 a year to six figures. White, though, took Bristol to court, claiming he had a clause verbally agreed with the club's then chief executive Nick de Scossa allowing him to opt out. Instead, the court ruled in Bristol's favour and decided that White would have to pay the club damages if he moved.

Bath, faced with paying a hefty transfer fee for the player, quickly lost interest, forcing White to swallow his pride and get down to brass tacks for Sunday's match against Sale rather than risk losing his England place for the Grand Slam decider on October 20.

Rugby's transfer system has, of course, come under intense scrutiny as a result, with Howard Thomas, chief executive of Premier Rugby, saying: 'This was a very messy affair, a unique case - and we are determined to make sure it remains unique.'

Springbok scrum half Joost van der Westhuizen's contract with Welsh club Newport has been challenged by the South African Rugby Football Union. Commercial manager Butch Watson-Smith said: 'Joost is still contracted to us.'

Van der Westhuizen said his Newport contract allowed him to play in domestic Currie Cup matches in October and in South Africa's end-of-season tour to Europe and the United States.